


Thanks For Being Here

by Cosmicstardust



Category: Hakuouki
Genre: F/M, Feels, Graduation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 18:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5466524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cosmicstardust/pseuds/Cosmicstardust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nothing ever works for Shiranui. Ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thanks For Being Here

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Christmas gift for my friends Taylor and Hannah. The OC is Izumi from the tumblr blog satsumas-kunoichi. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and a safe, healthy and happy New Year! <3

Graduation, truly the most pivotal moment in any high school student's career. When they're thrown out into the midst of the real world and are told that they must be adults starting the next day, since they are no longer the children that wander the halls of a  _high school_.

For the last two years, Izumi had been working in the student council with Shiranui, Kazama, and Amagiri-- and oh, how she worked. She was more akin to a dictator than a student, especially for someone who was only the events coordinator, but she always tried to keep them on track. Of course, her reasoning was selfish, as she forced them to keep working so she wouldn't have to. In her defense, Kazama would regularly dump his work on her, and plan impromptu dances which meant more work for her.

For Shiranui and Izumi, their friendship had a  _really_  bumpy start. Name calling, bickering, even yelling if he caught her on a bad enough day. Truly, she was closer to her nickname, Izanami, than she was to an actual human. He had heard a couple rumors about her when she transferred into their school their second year; things like she fought her way through her first year of high school, had established dominance in Tokyo's main high school district... But, above all else, there was one rumor that she proved to be true within moments of meeting him:  _she couldn't remember anyone's name_.

While she was rough around the edges, she was a hard worker, and really cared about making the school events perfect for the rest of the student body, even if she only attended because she was obligated to.

After two years of being in the student council together, Shiranui had found himself-- dare he say it?-- crushing on her. There were multitudes of memories between the two, but he couldn't say with confidence that she liked him back. She had finally admitted that she thought of him as a friend, but not much more. But that was a year ago! Surely he had made some progress by the time graduation came around?

Kazama had been cheering Shiranui on in his own strange way, even though he would argue that his friend's taste in women was  _off,_  to say the least. Finally, with hardened resolve, he decided to confess his feelings to her after graduation. Most of them were staying in Kyoto, so it would be the perfect time. The transition from high school to college could help their destinies intertwine more than they already had.

After graduation, they all decided to head to Kazama's house for a little party. Chizuru, despite being a year younger, joined them, mostly because Kazama had coaxed her into it. Izumi had assured her that if Kazama  _dared_  to try anything, she could (and would) kick his ass into the next dimension. Naturally, that started another argument between Kazama and Izumi, who, even after two years, had never acted friendly towards each other. It would be easy to say that they hated each other, and Izumi was especially protective over Chizuru and her involvement with their student council president.

In an effort to break them up, Amagiri asked Izumi if she could run to the convenience store and get some more snacks for them. Being one of the few people she actually respected, she nodded hesitantly at him, grabbing her purse and putting on her shoes.

"Yo, Izumi," Shiranui called after her. He could feel Kazama's gaze on him, one of those sly smiles creeping across his features. "I'll join ya." He could of sworn he heard Kazama chuckle, but he ignored him, regardless. If that would be the time he would confess to her, so be it. If there was anything Izumi was skilled at, it was hiding things from people. Part of that thought made him feel more confident that his feelings would be returned, however, the other part was overwhelmingly nervous.

"Thanks..." Izumi glanced at him, her features cold and expressionless, as always. She seemed ready to get out of there, and even with all the festivities, she didn't seem to be in a party mood. Something seemed to be bothering her, maybe his confession should wait...

They walked to the convenience store in silence, the brisk spring air catching their hair, pulling hers away from her ear, revealing the six piercings she had on each of her ears.  _Birds of a feather_ , he thought. She always had to keep her hair in front of her ears to cover her piercings, and he always had to keep his jacket on to cover his tattoo.

They bought the snacks for everyone without much incident. After paying, he gave the lighter of the bags to Izumi, and they started walking back to Kazama's house. Time was running out for him, he knew it, so, with a pit in his stomach due to his anticipation, he suggested, "Hey, wanna take the scenic route?"

Glancing up at him, her eyes made his heart squeeze. He wanted to spend so much of his time with her, but in that moment, it was too much for him to handle. Izumi nodded, and with that, he could feel the countdown start. T-minus 5 minutes until he could confess the feelings he had been holding in for quite some time. He wondered if she would blush-- he couldn't recall ever seeing her blush before, but maybe she would? The sun was setting, so he still had some time to see her face clearly, despite the sky darkening slowly but surely.

He led her to an overlook, where they could see the city slowly turning on its lights, glittering and twinkling, as if the buildings were stars, and in those moments, with the red light of the setting sun casting over them, reflecting off their eyes, and hair. Setting down the bags, Izumi leaned against the bars, looking out over the scene pensively. He paused, swallowing the lump in his throat.

He had thought about this moment for so long, thought of every possibility, and all he could do was dive in, at that point.

"Sooooo," he announced blandly, glancing over at her. Izumi didn't answer; he wasn't sure if she ever heard him. "We're about done. Next stop's college. You're going to Kyoto University, right? Guess that means I'll be seein' your mug some more." Shiranui took a breath, his mouth already forming the words. "Izumi, I--"

"Actually," she interrupted him, his mouth snapping closed like a carp's. "I'm going to University of Tokyo."

Shiranui couldn't believe what he just heard. If she was going to Tokyo, why didn't she tell him? Or anyone, for that matter? It seemed even Chizuru wasn't aware of this, because she would have been saying goodbye to Izumi starting this morning.

That bombshell threw off Shiranui's momentum of what he was planning on saying. He didn't want to put her under pressure like that, but he momentarily considered a long-distance relationship. It was brief, but it had occurred to him.

"Congrats," he muttered, pouting slightly. He was stumped. Why would she go to Tokyo? He got it was a good school, but did she even have friends there? He doubted any of her friends from her first year of high school (if she had any) would remember her. Although, part of his mind wondered,  _who could forget Izumi?_ She didn't say anything in return, which made him wonder. "Is something wrong?"

For someone who was starting a new adventure, she sure didn't look very excited. She looked... worried.

"Can I... tell you something?" she asked, her usual halting speech pattern so normal to him now he never questions it.

"Sure."

"I was..." she trails off, looking away. Shiranui feels the need to protect her, but knows that she isn't one who needs protecting. It's a difficult compromise for him to watch from what he feels is an insurmountable distance. However, he knows that she wouldn't really want him getting too close, either. She inhales sharply, tossing her hair over her shoulder, looking up at the dusk-colored sky. "I was disowned today."

"What the fuck?!" he barks out, catching her attention. When she looks at him, her eyes are misty, but she otherwise looked pretty calm for someone who was kicked out. "Why?"

"Because they see me... as a burden... and now... I don't have to be theirs," she explains quietly, the quiet buzzing of the city at sunset accentuating the volume of her voice. "The deal was... until I finished... high school. I leave tomorrow morning... on the first train."

Shiranui had never actually met Izumi's adoptive family, but had heard enough about them to dislike them at the very least. There had been several occasions when Izumi had left her home for multiple days, staying with Chizuru, because she had failed to feel safe at home, or her adoptive father had threatened with kicking her out if she came back. However, she would usually receive a call from her adoptive mother, demanding that she come home, that she could stay with them for a little while longer.

Shiranui's feet moved without his knowledge, and before he was aware of it, his arm was wrapped around her, and he murmured, "Sorry." To his surprise, Izumi turned towards him, wrapping her arms around him, burying her head into the crook of his neck. Not knowing what else to do, he smoothed her hair, trying to comfort her however he could.

_Well, she doesn't need to know._

"Shiranui-san..." she mumbled, catching him by surprise. She actually said his name correctly. She remembered it. "Thank you for... being here."

His heart squeezed. What this girl did to him was too much. "Sure thing, Izumi."

_Yeah, she definitely doesn't need to know._


End file.
